Crosby ISD Superintendent barred from district but paid through June

The superintendent of Crosby Independent School District was told he could no longer visit the district’s property, placed on administrative leave, and ordered to hand in his keys and retrieve his personal belongings as he was removed from his office last month.

But he is still pocketing his more than $200,000 salary for the next four months.

The district announced on January 22 that Keith Moore, the district’s superintendent since 2014, had resigned effective June 30.

Records obtained by The Texas Monitor show that Moore was given his full pay of $212,657, in addition to a $500 monthly car allowance, and health coverage through June and is banned from the district’s property without district permission.

A four-page separation agreement signed by district trustees states that Moore “believes it will be in his best interest and that of the district to voluntarily resign his position.”

Moore, in a brief conversation with The Texas Monitor last week said that he asked the district to accept his resignation and added, “it was the best thing for me personally at the time…it was amicable.”

He declined to answer further questions. Specifically, he stopped talking when asked about the mandate that he not visit the district.

“During administrative leave period, Moore…will not come onto school property without the written permission of the Board president…” the separation agreement says.

The parting document contains exoneration clauses, assigning culpability for any legal action on Moore in cases where “it is determined that Moore committed a criminal act, official misconduct or committing a willful or wrongful act or omission…”

Likewise, Moore agrees to release the district and its trustees and employees from any claims or actions.

“There is nothing fishy going on at all,” Crosby Trustee David Porter said in an interview. He said he never saw the separation agreement, although records show Porter was present at the January 18 meeting, including the executive session, during which Moore’s resignation was finalized.

A letter of reference for Moore is part of the agreement, signed by board president Carla Mills Windfont.

“I recommend Dr. Moore for any position of responsibility, most especially as school superintendent,” the letter reads.

Moore’s original contract ran through the end of the school year in 2019 and allowed him to resign at the end of a school year without penalty.

State lawmakers have become concerned about school districts that seek to cover up for teachers fired for transgressions, primarily of a sexual nature. A bill passed last session allows for penalties for districts to endorse a teacher convicted for sexual misdeeds.

The measure was one of two introduced, referring explicitly to a practice known as “passing the trash,” or allowing educators who have had sexual or otherwise improper relationships with students to be flagged and future employers to be properly notified.

Legislators have stayed away from the more common practice of releasing, firing or coming to a termination agreement with an administration official who ran afoul of ethical or conduct rules.

Most districts own up when bad politics or volatile internal relationships sour the connection between a superintendent and elected officials. And announcements of superintendent firings are common.

When a district seeks to cover up the ending of a partnership, especially one in which the superintendent has recently received a raise, a contract extension, or both, the public questions the situation.

“We tried so hard to find out what happened,” Crosby resident Kris McGinty said. “Keith Moore was beloved here. And they just locked it down, no real information.”

In Crosby, there is nothing in Moore’s release papers and agreement to ascertain impropriety on his part. Rather, the district released scant information on Moore’s departure, exposing a government bent on secrecy.

The 6,100-student district has removed Moore’s resignation letter from its web site. Moore has closed his Twitter account.

The district failed to address a Jan. 30 public information request from Texas Monitor within the 10 business day time frame required by statute.

Steve is a veteran journalist, who has previously worked at the Dallas Morning News and the Washington Times, as well as Texas Watchdog. His work has appeared in the Houston Press, Miami New Times, People Magazine, and High Times. He also travels the country writing true crime books. His work has won awards in national, regional, and state contests.

4 COMMENTS

Not the only thing going on these days at Crosby ISD. The FBI needs to conduct a forensic audit of all party’s involved, from the contractors who built the new high school all the way to the board President. There is clearly money moving around different hands, in the way only the FBI could trace down and uncover. I pry and hop someone steps up to finely uncover the wrongdoers.